The present disclosure relates to a device for evaluation of the operational capabilities of an aircraft designed to inform a user about the capabilities of the aircraft to carry out a mission, the aircraft comprising multiple devices, and the evaluation device comprising means for detection of malfunctions of the equipments of the aircraft, with the means for detection adapted for functioning during the accomplishment of the mission.
It is known that an aircraft comprises multiple systems permitting it to carry out missions, such as transportation missions, in which the aircraft must reach a destination, after a departure point on the ground, in complete safety for its crew and its eventual passengers. These systems also comprise mechanical systems, such as the landing gear, the engines and the wings, as well as hydraulic systems, such as the steering control or the control of the brakes, and also electrical systems, such as the ventilators, and electronic systems, such as the so-called “boarding” systems. Typically, each system comprises multiple devices.
These devices have to be maintained, and each device may start to function incorrectly or to fail at one moment or other of the life of the aircraft. These malfunctions can be more or less serious from the point of view of the global functioning of the aircraft, to the extent in which redundancies are available and rescue equipment is provided in order to deal with the malfunctioning of certain devices.
The malfunctioning of the equipment of the aircraft imposes operational constraints affecting the operability of the aircraft, such as the limits related to the maximum speed of the aircraft, the maximum elevation at which the aircraft can fly, or the minimum landing distance for the aircraft.
Each operational limitation is generally the result of the conjunction of several malfunctions. Typically, the malfunctioning of a pump for supplying an engine of the aircraft with fuel does not lead to operational constraint insofar as there is a second pump, but the combined malfunctioning of two pumps for supplying the same engine leads to operational constraints (reduced flying range of the aircraft, limited speed, etc.).
Thus the operational constraints affect also the feasibility level of the mission. In effect, it is easy to understand that if, for example, the maximum elevation of the flight is reduced, the flying range of the aircraft is also reduced as a consequence, and that, therefore, there is a risk that the intended destination is outside of the flying range, and as a result the mission can not be completed.
It is known that most often the aircraft comprises a system for support of the steering of the aircraft and its piloting with the objective to inform the crew about the malfunctions detected in the equipment of the aircraft. This system is generally designed to indicate to the members of the crew the emergency maneuvering that has to be effected in order to ensure the viability of the aircraft as a result of the detection of a malfunction, as well as the operational constraints imposed by this malfunction.
The known operational support systems for aircraft pilots comprise generally a first display screen containing multiple pictograms, with each pictogram representing a device of the aircraft. This first screen is intended to provide to the members of the crew an overview of the detected malfunctions in the equipment.
An example of the first display screen of a known operational support system for aircraft pilots is presented in FIG. 1. This first display screen 10 presents a synoptic drawing of the equipment of the bleed air system of an aircraft. Each monitored device is presented here by a pictogram 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 representing the equipment. Thus, pictogram 11 represents the left engine of the aircraft, pictogram 12 represents the right engine, pictogram 13 represents the central engine, pictogram 14 represents the wings, pictogram 15 represents the “auxiliary power unit”), and pictogram 16 represents an external power supply service.
The rectangles 18 represent the locations of the aircraft which are heated and aerated by the bleed air system, typically the cockpit and the passenger cabin of the aircraft. The crossed disks 20 represent schematically the gates of a system of air ducts conducting the air at the level of the equipment towards the aerated spaces. Depending on its orientation, each crossed disk 20 illustrates the fact that the associated gate is in open or closed configuration.
The display screen 10 is intended to provide an overview of the malfunctions detected at the equipment level of the bleed air system. To this purpose, each pictogram 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 is set up to provide either the good functioning of the associated equipment or a malfunction of the equipment: typically, the pictogram 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16 is green when the associated equipment does not present any malfunction, red when a malfunction of the associated equipment has been detected, and white—when the associated equipment has been deactivated.
In addition, the known operational support systems for aircraft pilots comprise generally a second display screen, which is intended to display a list of the operational constraints of the aircraft caused by the detected malfunctions. However, the known support systems are not fully satisfactory. In effect, they are limited to presenting to the members of the crew the detected malfunctions and the operational constraints arising from these malfunctions. Thus, the members of the crew must by themselves form an idea about the feasibility level of the mission, proceeding from the detected multiple malfunctions and the multiple operational constraints that are presented to them.
However, as aircraft become more complex, the number of the onboard devices increases, particularly due to the continuous reinforcement of the aviation regulation, and the crew members are thus often overwhelmed by the displays of minor malfunctions. In addition, the devices of the aircraft are becoming more and more interconnected, which makes difficult to appreciate the consequences of the malfunctioning of one of them. Moreover, the devices are often automated and certain technical data remain hidden from the crew. For these reasons, it is difficult for the members of the crew to form a correct idea about the feasibility level of the mission, which could lead to errors in the evaluation of the situation and taking bad decisions by the crew (for example, the crew may decide to discontinue the mission in course, although the operational capabilities of the aircraft permit its completion despite the malfunction that has occurred).
This background information is provided to provide some information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present disclosure. No admission is intended, nor should such admission be inferred or construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present disclosure. Other aims, objects, advantages and features of the disclosure will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of specific embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.